Tuesday's letters: State powers

Published: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, August 19, 2013 at 5:44 p.m.

To the editor: Concerning your article “Holder: Stand-your-ground laws can sow dangerous conflict,” Eric Holder needs to review/apply the Constitution to his job.

This is not his first time to openly disregard our Constitution. One instance included President Barack Obama. They stood before cameras and Obama said they consider the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, and he instructed the attorney general not to enforce DOMA.

Amendment 10 says that “powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States … .”

Stand-your-ground laws are state laws. The executive branch has no constitutional authority concerning them.

The executive branch has “constitutional authority and responsibility” concerning federal law enforcement as stated in the Constitution. Failure to do so is addressed in Articles 1, 2 and 3. Article 6 also states who is bound by oath to uphold our Constitution.

Jimmie Shipman

Hendersonville

Justice system

To the editor: Why is it that political activists like to apply the terms “denier” and “in denial” to people who do not adhere to their version of “political correctness?” Susan Hanley Lane (Aug. 5 column) very indirectly accuses anyone who did not share her “national whiplash” over the outcome of the George Zimmerman trial as being in denial.

Our system of justice was designed, quite appropriately, to try to remove, or hopefully minimize, the possibility that popular and political thinking would influence the verdict in a case with very limited and specific circumstances. I am personally unable to agree or disagree with the verdict. I am limited to “accepting” the jury’s verdict precisely because I did not have either the opportunity or the weighty responsibility of evaluating the arguments and then making a decision.

Ms. Lane seems to be willing to condemn Zimmerman on the basis of 300 years of root causes rather than the specifics of the single situation.

I find it ironic that the people who profess a belief in logical debate and rhetoric are the ones using the tactics of political shaming and coercion. Ms. Lane is correct when she writes that “(we) humans are capable of the most amazing duplicity.”

Tom Dickey

Hendersonville

New leadership

To the editor: State Sen. Tom Apodaca is proud of his leadership in the sweeping changes to state government. Jesse Helms would also be delighted. Republican leadership has taken North Carolina back to the Deep South ’50s.

As many reports and studies demonstrate, there has been next to zero voter fraud in the state. The changes to voter registration and times are clearly an effort to restrict voting to favor Republicans.

The regressive legislation affecting women, education and even commerce makes Deep South states like Mississippi and Alabama look enlightened. It is past time to return North Carolina on path forward, not into the past, with new leadership.

Dian Magie

Hendersonville

Voter fraud

To the editor: This is simple. The only reason to not require an ID is to facilitate voter fraud! It’s been done on a regular basis — bus them from polling place to polling place. Or end up with dead people voting. Madison County come to mind? An ID will make voter fraud more difficult.

I’m supporting the governor on this. I’m also supporting the governor on immigration. There is a legal way for foreign workers to work here. They need to obey the law, and people who hire them need to obey the law also.

<p>To the editor: Concerning your article Holder: Stand-your-ground laws can sow dangerous conflict, Eric Holder needs to review/apply the Constitution to his job.</p><p>This is not his first time to openly disregard our Constitution. One instance included President Barack Obama. They stood before cameras and Obama said they consider the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, and he instructed the attorney general not to enforce DOMA.</p><p>Article 2, Section 1 contains the oath of office which says to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution. Article 2, Section 3 says, Take care that the laws be faithfully executed. Article 1 addresses the legislative branch. Article 3 addresses the judicial branch.</p><p>Amendment 10 says that powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States .</p><p>Stand-your-ground laws are state laws. The executive branch has no constitutional authority concerning them.</p><p>The executive branch has constitutional authority and responsibility concerning federal law enforcement as stated in the Constitution. Failure to do so is addressed in Articles 1, 2 and 3. Article 6 also states who is bound by oath to uphold our Constitution.</p><p><em>Jimmie Shipman</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>Justice system</h3>
<p>To the editor: Why is it that political activists like to apply the terms denier and in denial to people who do not adhere to their version of political correctness? Susan Hanley Lane (Aug. 5 column) very indirectly accuses anyone who did not share her national whiplash over the outcome of the George Zimmerman trial as being in denial.</p><p>Our system of justice was designed, quite appropriately, to try to remove, or hopefully minimize, the possibility that popular and political thinking would influence the verdict in a case with very limited and specific circumstances. I am personally unable to agree or disagree with the verdict. I am limited to accepting the jury’s verdict precisely because I did not have either the opportunity or the weighty responsibility of evaluating the arguments and then making a decision.</p><p>Ms. Lane seems to be willing to condemn Zimmerman on the basis of 300 years of root causes rather than the specifics of the single situation.</p><p>I find it ironic that the people who profess a belief in logical debate and rhetoric are the ones using the tactics of political shaming and coercion. Ms. Lane is correct when she writes that (we) humans are capable of the most amazing duplicity.</p><p><em>Tom Dickey</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>New leadership</h3>
<p>To the editor: State Sen. Tom Apodaca is proud of his leadership in the sweeping changes to state government. Jesse Helms would also be delighted. Republican leadership has taken North Carolina back to the Deep South ’50s.</p><p>As many reports and studies demonstrate, there has been next to zero voter fraud in the state. The changes to voter registration and times are clearly an effort to restrict voting to favor Republicans.</p><p>The regressive legislation affecting women, education and even commerce makes Deep South states like Mississippi and Alabama look enlightened. It is past time to return North Carolina on path forward, not into the past, with new leadership.</p><p><em>Dian Magie</em></p><p><em>Hendersonville</em></p><h3>Voter fraud</h3>
<p>To the editor: This is simple. The only reason to not require an ID is to facilitate voter fraud! It’s been done on a regular basis  bus them from polling place to polling place. Or end up with dead people voting. Madison County come to mind? An ID will make voter fraud more difficult.</p><p>I’m supporting the governor on this. I’m also supporting the governor on immigration. There is a legal way for foreign workers to work here. They need to obey the law, and people who hire them need to obey the law also.</p><p><em>Edward L. Ingle</em></p><p><em>Mills River</em></p>